TFP and the Aero-Flex Consortium

A Groundbreaking Path to Training

Aero-Flex is an employer-led consortium that focuses on talent pipeline development for high-demand Aerospace and Defense Advanced Manufacturing occupations. The Aero-Flex team developed a Pre-Apprenticehsip and Registered Apprenticeship program for Aerospace Engineer, with more occupational training tracks to follow. The program design is based on employer-defined talent pipeline and skills development needs. The employers told us what was missing and the Aero-Flex team, led by Training Funding Partners, the South Bay Workforce Investment Board, West Los Angeles College, El Camino College and Tooling U-SME created programs addressing skill gaps, education, apprenticeships and other on-the-job training opportunities.

The Aero-Flex Unilateral Apprenticeship Committee was formed to develop an employer-driven pre-apprenticeship framework in engineering that would meet the workforce development needs common to the aerospace/advanced manufacturing industry. The framework provides for a customized layer to allow each employer to design (flex) its own program. Aero-Flex meets not only the needs of industry, but of each participating manufacturer.

Aero-Flex is now proud to announce its first U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship for a newly apprenticed occupation – Aerospace Engineer. This Registered Apprenticeship was again designed by the employers and industry experts and contains the same flexibility as the Pre-Apprenticeship program.

Quick Facts

About 64,000 manufacturing businesses are in California

The global aerospace & defense industry is growing

Pre-Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship is a growing talent pipeline development strategy

Training Funding Partners is a key project lead and a core partner of Aero-Flex. We are proud to be a part of this ground breaking work and are pleased to announce the first DOL Registered Apprenticeship in the nation for Aerospace Engineering!